


In A Crowd of Thousands

by truecaptainswanlove



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Curse, F/M, Lieutenant Duckling, Lieutenant Killian Jones/Princess Emma Swan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-16
Updated: 2017-11-16
Packaged: 2019-02-03 08:46:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12744954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/truecaptainswanlove/pseuds/truecaptainswanlove
Summary: Killian tells Emma the story of how he first met her in a crowd of thousands.





	In A Crowd of Thousands

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the song "In A Crowd of Thousands" from the Anastasia Broadway musical. Some parts come from the lyrics of the song. Enjoy :)

Emma was used to being stared at; she was, after all, the Princess of Misthaven, daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming (now known as King David), whose story of True Love was well known and told across the land of the Enchanted Forest, rare and remarkable. Everywhere she went, she would find people staring at her, whether it be the guards in the palace keeping an eye on her, the villagers eager to catch a glimpse of their beloved princess, or the people of court, dukes and duchesses, lords and ladies, some intrigued by her and others jealous of what Emma had that they never would. Of course, there were also the people who stared at her because she didn’t act quite like a princess should. It was rare for a princess to wield a weapon; Emma was proficient with both a sword and a bow and arrow, her parents teaching her from a young age. Most princesses would be happy to wear ball gowns and pretty trinkets for all their days; Emma was happier in simple dresses that didn’t hamper her movements or even a tunic and trousers (something that scandalized members of the court). And of course, there was also the fact that princesses were expected to be quiet and demure, to be seen but not heard. This was not Emma at all. She wasn’t afraid to be passionate, to speak her mind, to have her own opinions, and she could be fiery when challenged.

So yes, Princess Emma was used to people staring at her. But no one had ever stared at her quite like Killian Jones.

Emma had first met Killian at a ball her parents held a few months ago. The ball had been held in honour of the crew of the Royal Navy’s ship _The Jewel of the Realm_ for helping to overthrow a tyrant king from a nearby kingdom and help the true ruler take back his throne. At the ball, Emma had been fending off potential suitors for most of the night, each more boorish than the last. It always seemed to happen at these balls, eligible bachelors asking her to dance and proceeding to bore her to death. The last one, some duke named Walsh, had been particularly tedious, droning on and on about how he had taken up the hobby of making furniture, as if that made him so fascinating that he worked with his hands (the fact that his hands bore no calluses made Emma doubt his claims). When she’d finally been able to pull away, she’d walked away as quickly as she could but something made her stop. Turning, she saw a man around her age staring at her, a mix of amusement and something else on his face.

Emma felt as if the breath had been taken right out of her. He was one of the most handsome men she’d ever seen in her life. His hair was a deep brown, almost black, thick and luscious. While it wasn’t messy, there was a certain unruliness to it, as if he’d been running his fingers through it all night. His body was lean but muscular, his Navy uniform hugging him just right. It was his eyes that were the most captivating though; they were the colour of the sea, seeming to see right into her soul.

“You look as if you’re having fun, Your Highness,” the man had said, breaking through her thoughts (and good Lord, that wasn’t fair, having an accent on top of his good looks).

“Yes, well, unfortunately I’ve been dealing with men like him most of the night,” she’d replied. Tilting her head, she said, “I’m sorry, I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Emma.”

“Killian Jones,” he said, bowing before her as he took her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles.

(Emma didn’t swoon at the touch, not at all).

(Maybe she did a little bit but she’d never admit it to anyone).

“Would you care to dance?” he’d asked, still holding her hand in his.

“Oh, umm…” she said, looking at the dance floor. A waltz had just started and while Emma had taken dancing lessons growing up, she’d never quite mastered the waltz.  “I’m afraid the waltz isn’t my strong suit.”

“Well, it’s a good thing there’s only one rule to a waltz,” Killian had said. “Pick a partner who knows what he’s doing.” He’d given her a charming smile, one Emma had returned as she followed him to the dance floor.

As they’d dance, Emma found the intricate steps much easier than she normally did, Killian’s rule paying off after all. She’d been unable to look away from Killian and he hadn’t taken his eyes off of her either. By the time the song had been over, Emma recognized what she’d seen on his face earlier; it was awe and wonder, as if he couldn’t believe what was in front of him. Emma was sure she’d had the same look on her face.

They’d parted when the song finished, knowing tongues would be wagging if Emma danced two songs in a row with the same man. Killian had bowed to her and kissed her hand again, asking her to save a dance for him later with a wink.

They’d found each other later in the evening and talked for a while. It turned out that he was the Lieutenant of the _Jewel_ and that his older brother Liam was the captain. Emma had been fascinated with his tales from the sea, the daring adventures they’d been on and the wonderful places they’d travelled to. She could have listened to him speak all night long but eventually he and his brother had to leave, Killian parting ways with a kiss to her hand and hopes that he’d see her again.

Emma had expected that to be the end of her acquaintance with Killian Jones but not a fortnight after the ball she’d received a letter from him. It hadn’t been a declaration of love but in it he’d written how much he’d enjoyed meeting her and would like to see her again. Emma had responded that she’d enjoyed meeting him as well and had invited him to the castle for an afternoon (with the permission of her parents, of course). They’d become fast friends and soon began spending most of their free time together, telling each other things almost no one else knew. Emma knew that his mother had died when he was young and his father abandoned him, leaving Killian and Liam as slaves, while Killian knew how Emma had had her heart broken when the man she thought would be her True Love left her. Being around Killian made Emma feel safe and comfortable, a feeling she usually associated with people she’d known her whole life. He just seemed to _understand_ Emma, like a kindred spirit. The more time they spent together, the more Emma felt herself falling for her best friend. But she was terrified to tell him. What if he didn’t feel the same way? Emma didn’t want to risk losing his friendship and she certainly didn’t want to risk having her heart broken again. It had been painful enough the first time and Emma wasn’t sure she was strong enough to survive it if Killian broke her heart.

(In the back of her mind, she could hear her mother saying love was worth the risk but Emma ignored it).

Now, Emma and Killian were enjoying a walk through the meadow not far from the castle. Every year, the meadow bloomed full with Middlemist flowers, one of Emma’s favourites. She loved coming to the meadow, with the trees forming a near perfect circle around it, the lush grass waving gently in the breeze and the Middlemists giving off an intoxicating scent. Being here always calmed her and she couldn’t wait to share it with Killian.

“Well, what do you think?” Emma asked, straightening the white cloak over her matching dress. She couldn’t help eyeing Killian as he looked around the meadow. He wasn’t wearing his usual Navy attire, which was surprising. Today, he’d opted for a long leather duster over a blood red vest and black shirt, which made his blue eyes stand out even more somehow. As Emma admired him, she couldn’t help but think that the pirate look suited him.

“This is lovely Emma,” he said, shaking Emma out of her traitorous thoughts. “I can see why you enjoy it so much.”

Humming in agreement, Emma said, “Yes, I often come here when I need to be alone or need to think.”

Looking at her earnestly, making her stomach flip, Killian asked, “And what are you thinking about now?”

Hesitating, Emma said, “Do you ever feel invisible sometimes?”

A quick look of shock passed over Killian’s face before being replaced with concern. “Sometimes, I suppose so. But why would you Emma? You’re the princess, everyone knows who you are.”

“That’s the thing though,” Emma argued. “They think they know me but all they know is who they expect me to be. It’s like people are looking at me but not seeing the _real_ me.”

(Although she didn’t feel invisible when Killian stared at her. When Killian stared at her, Emma felt like maybe someone was seeing her just for being Emma).

Killian was already shaking his head before she could finish her sentence. “Love, you are anything but invisible. And I can prove it to you.”

“How?” Emma questioned.

“By telling you the story of the first time I saw you.”

Emma rolled her eyes. “I was there Killian, I know the story already.”

“Ah-ah,” he said, “that was how we _met_. I’m talking about the very first time I ever laid eyes on you.”

Curious, Emma tilted her head. She had assumed that the ball was the first time Killian had seen her. She was certain she’d remember seeing him before, as he was hard to forget. “All right then. When was the first time you saw me?”

Smiling at her, Killian said, “Well love, it was June and I was ten years old. It was about a month after my father abandoned us and Liam and I were working aboard a ship that had docked in Misthaven. The captain was an older man, kinder than most masters would be, so he allowed us to venture into town for a few hours. Once we reached the city centre, we walked into a crowd of thousands. Listening to them speak, we discovered there was a parade being held, so we decided to watch it. I was smaller than my brother, so I was able to slip through the crowd and make it to the front. And just as I did, there was a girl in the parade coming towards me.

“The crowd started cheering loudly but all I could do was stare. Even though she was only eight, she was sitting so straight, more like a queen than a little girl. And you could tell that she was proud to be there in front of all those people, and that the crowd adored her. I thought there was something fascinating about her.”

“And that little girl was me,” Emma breathed.

Nodding in agreement, Killian continued his story. “I heard the people beside me saying it was Princess Emma. I don’t know what came over me but I started to run and call out your name. The crowd was going wild as I arrived at your carriage and reached out my hand. When I looked up, you smiled at me. And even though I was an orphan and a slave, for one moment I felt important when you did.

“The parade travelled on and with the sun in my eyes, you were gone. My brother got a hold of me then and dragged me away, thinking the guards were going to arrest me. But even though I was only in your presence for a moment and we were leaving Misthaven the next day, I felt I would see you again someday.”

Emma smiled as the memory hit her. “I remember,” she said excitedly. “It was so hot that day as the parade travelled through. I was trying to be on my best behaviour, as Mama told me it was important that I was and couldn’t get into any mischief like I normally did. As we were travelling through that crowd of thousands, I remember when a boy caught my eye. I remember thinking he was far too thin and not very clean. As I wondered why this was, he suddenly dodged between the guards and made himself seen.”

Turning to Killian, Emma smiled at him. “You sounded so excited when you called out my name. I was trying not to smile, because I wasn’t sure how Mama would feel about it, but I couldn’t help it and smiled anyway. And then you bowed to me.”

“I did,” Killian agreed.

“The sun was in my eyes then and when I looked again you were gone. But I had that same feeling, that even in a crowd of thousands, I’d find you again.”

“You see Emma,” Killian said, as he reached down to pluck a Middlemist flower, shyly handing it to her. “People don’t see you just for being the princess. They see you for your kindness, your grace, and your courage. You could never be invisible, even in a crowd of thousands. Least of all to me,” he finished sincerely.

Emma stared up at him as she accepted the flower. No one had ever said anything like that to her before. Killian had just shown that he saw Emma for who she really was. Finding courage from this, Emma took a step closer to Killian as she said, “Well, now that we’re alone…” and pressed her lips to his.

Killian placed his hands on either side of her waist as she wrapped her arms around his neck. The kiss started out tentative at first as they explored this new part of their relationship but it quickly became more passionate. When they pulled apart for breath, Emma was amazed at the look of awe and amazement on Killian’s face. It made her feel cherished and loved.

“Looks like we were both right all those years ago,” Killian breathed. “We did find each other again.”

Smiling at him, Emma nodded her head before reaching up to kiss him again. After feeling invisible for so long, Emma had finally found someone who saw her for who she really was. And with the sun shining down, the foliage dancing in the breeze, Emma felt like maybe she’d found her happily ever after.


End file.
